


Delicate Petals

by orphan_account



Category: ARMY - Fandom, Nonexistent, SOPE - Fandom, bts, namjin - Fandom, taekook - Fandom, yoonmin - Fandom
Genre: Death, F/F, Falling In Love, Other, Platonic Relationships, hanahaki
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 22:32:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14724830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Lacking social skills, and inexperienced in love, Karina Prim manages to get by as a normal college student. Amongst her monotone life, she comes across a girl she wouldn't have expected to ever meet. Very much aware of the strange feelings she'd have with this girl, Karina was unfortunately unable to decipher these feelings. Every minute becomes longer while every day gets shorter in her world. Every minute becomes a struggle. Every day becomes a waste. She played her own world, made it a game, but she’ll never find out why.





	1. The Moment We Touch

**Author's Note:**

> Hello fellow reader (if you are existent)! I am a friend of YouGot7NoJams, (I'm only ARMY I'm sorry), but I didn't have patience to wait for an account so.. yeah this story is mine. I don't think she would torture you guys as much as this story might -- so, just know it's not her. It's the sunshine bunny Nor! See you~

The sunlight from outside poured into the room, melting the once bone-chilling space to a cup of hot coffee. The girl groaned as she rolled over in bed, trying to hide from the blinding light. Karina Prim had just recently moved away from home, officially living on her own for her first year in University. With all that was going on back at home, she figured it was best to take a break from it all and dwell in a cozy metropolis apartment. Though she admitted it was rather lonely living all alone in the big city, not knowing anyone or anything, she didn’t mind. Or rather, that’s what she liked to believe. Deep down inside, she knew that she felt like a small fish swimming around in a round fish bowl. Constantly bumping into something, running in circles for hours on end. The bruises and wounds that nobody could see, the bruises and wounds that would never leave. She hated being alone. She hated it so, so much. But she would never admit that.

“It’s the weekend, and yet I still can’t sleep peacefully,” she grumbled tiredly, rubbing her eyes and sitting up in bed once she realized the torturous sunshine would not leave her be. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, Karina stumbled out of her room and to the bathroom. She turned on the faucet and listened to it running. The water was loud, but quiet. Sharp, but soft. Embellished and plain. Colored and clear. It reminded her of herself. Ignoring her rather tiring thoughts, she splashed a bout of cool water in her face to wake herself up.

She trudged down the hallway into the kitchen, pouring herself a lazy bowl of cereal. Most days she really didn’t have anything to worry about, not a rush nor a person, therefore she was able to enjoy a hearty breakfast. However, other mornings, she’d just get lazy and resort to the easiest option. Which undoubtedly was cereal. She didn’t mind though. Cereal was better than nothing, she often reminded herself. The only thing she dreaded about mornings was waking up to having everything but having no one. But it remained a topic she didn’t necessarily like to dwell on.

Carrying her bowl of cereal to her living room, she assembled herself on the fluffy white couch and flipped open her silver laptop. She munched on her sweet, crunchy cereal as she worked on editing her photos whilst listening to music. The young girl really didn’t have a social life due to her rather introverted nature, so she took it upon herself to major in both music and photography, minoring literature.

Growing up, music had always been a part of Karina’s life. There wasn’t a single second where music wasn’t involved, no matter how small or big. Photography, too, had been a big part of her life. Photography just had a way of captivating Karina in a way nothing else could. Sure, music took her to an entirely different world, but, photography mesmerized her in a completely different way. She just loved the idea of capturing a moment with the lens of a camera. Literature was a big part of her life as well, but she decided that music and photography was more important to her. If she could’ve, she most definitely would’ve majored in literature as well. But she highly doubted that any amount of pleading would get her a third major.

She sighed as her spoon scraped the bottom of the bowl, her lazy happiness over within a split second it seemed. Returning to her feet, she dropped off her bowl in the kitchen and took a quick stretch. With a quick glance outside through the large glass wall, she decided it would be a good idea to get out of her apartment for once in her life for something unrelated to her education. Somewhat unrelated, anyway.

“Sunday morning public, give me some inspiration for something,” Karina muttered mainly to herself, sliding into a dark green jacket suited for the autumn weather outside. She slipped on a pair of dark boots and grabbed her camera, heading outside for once in her life on her own will. With one last look at her apartment she’d labeled her home, she was on her way to find a moment to preserve.

She didn’t really know anyone in the city. Sure, she talked to people in her classes and such, but only because she had to. Karina couldn’t really consider any of them close friends, not even friends. The girl barely considered them acquaintances, simply just kids around her age in the same classes as her. She wasn’t one to start up conversations, so she usually just waited for someone to engage interest in her. Unfortunately, nobody had ever done so. Karina didn’t know if it was they way she looked or if there was a glowing sign above her head that said to ignore her, but not even once had a person tried to converse with her aside from academic reasons.

Though Karina wasn’t too sure about it, she was pretty. Pretty to the point where people would’ve expected her to be a classic chatterbox that would never shut up. However, she was just the exact opposite. Quiet and composed in a way that almost made her seem invisible.

Her hair was dark in medium length and held elegant, natural curls. Her skin was a warm tan, practically glowing whenever the sun hit her. She had eyes of several chocolate swirls with flecks of sparkling gold. She was actually quite tall, just the way she hung her head low made her seem a little shorter than she actually was. Her smile - it was something that the vast majority of people hadn’t gotten to see too often. She only ever smiled or showed any type of emotion when she had captured a good picture or came up with a good song. Any time she’d find a spark of inspiration there’d be a smile on her face. Not many people noticed her, but when she smiled, it was the only thing most people could see in the rare occasion.

The girl put the camera up to her eye, the world flooding with color as soon as she looked through the viewfinder. For whatever reason, the world seemed a lot more colorful through the viewfinder in comparison to her bare eyes. In her opinion, anyway. Though she had a feeling that her opinion didn’t really matter to anyone else.

Her attention was drawn to a little girl skipping down the street, her hand adjoined with her father’s. Karina smiled, reminiscing over the times where her father had been around. That soft smile had soon been replaced with a sad one as she heard the shutter click. Her father had been so kind and loving. So kind and loving that he’d walk to the ends of the world for her mother and herself. But one day, he just left. The year Karina had turned nine, her father simply left. The seventeen years he’d been with her mother; left behind. The nine years of her life he knew her as his sweet, innocent daughter; left behind. The family that he’d known and loved; left behind. All for a woman he’d claimed to love at first sight. A woman who was not her mother. A total stranger. Yet, he claimed to love her with his entire being.

The girl felt a bittersweet feeling melt over her, her face cleansed of a smile. She looked back at the picture she’d just taken displayed across the small screen of the camera, warming her frostbitten heart the smallest bit. No matter how hard she tried to hate him - he who she had once called “father” - she just couldn’t develop any aversion in his direction. He had been there for the first nine years of her life, after all. But what she could do - she could hate the very thought of falling in love. She didn’t want to fall into it, so she never had to worry about finding ways to fall out of it. The young girl had watched her mother suffer years on end trying to fall out of love with her father. But to no avail, for the older woman that Karina held dear was still heartbroken and hadn’t remarried. It was only when her mother had started bringing men home every other night, drunk beyond her mind, that she decided it was time to start her own life. Alone.

Karina continued to shuffle through the dead leaves on the street in the November weather, humming a soft tune while snapping pictures every now and then with her camera. She loved photography. It had been something her mother left with her before the sweet being in her had been locked away. And even after she’d lost the part of her mother that she’d loved, Karina still held the art of photography close to her heart. As her thoughts began to override the world around her, she transitioned from humming to singing softly.

“Ah! You sing like an angel!” a happy voice sang from behind her, pulling Karina out of her thoughts. The poor girl jumped in fear, one of her most prized possessions almost falling to the cold concrete beneath her feet. Without any hesitation, Karina whipped around, clutching her camera to her chest to identify the faceless voice.

As soon as she did, Karina lost herself in the breathtaking emerald eyes of the beaming girl standing before her. Her long, lush dark brown locks cascaded down her back, pin straight in the most beautiful way possible. A blossom pink color coated her cheeks from the brisk weather they were surrounded in, her cherry pink lips wound up in an awe-inspiring smile. She seemed to be just a centimeter or so shorter than Karina, but it had been hard to tell. The young girl hadn’t really card all that much, she was just itching to photograph the sight in front of her. Memorialize it in a picture, a song; savor it for the masterpiece it was.

“My name’s Nari,” the stranger continued with her gorgeous smile, “Nari Seung.” Karina couldn’t help but smile at the sweetness in the girl’s voice. She seemed so genuine, golden. Innocent, forbidden.

“Karina Prim,” Karina forced out with a gentle smile, still recovering from her previously startled state. Nari took Karina’s hand in her own, shaking it gently as Karina had been paralyzed from the moment she turned around. The girl couldn’t help but pull her hand away as soon as Nari’s warm hands enveloped her own. The feeling wasn’t necessarily bad; just a little strange. Karina had shook hands with many people before, so it couldn’t possibly have been the fact that she barely made any physical human contact in her life. Unless it was a “professional” matter, the girl didn’t dare touch another person. But even so, she went through professional matters practically every day, so it didn’t explain what was going on.

The feeling was indescribable. It was as if the second Nari’s hands approached Karina’s, a tingling feeling began dancing underneath her skin. It only got worse after Nari’s hands engulfed Karina’s, her senses running wild at the sudden interaction. The girl shook in utter shock, failing to mask her current state. Nari simply smiled, a new spark illuminating her vibrant green eyes.

“Are you a music major?” the girl asked with sparkling eyes, tilting her head to the side in genuine curiosity. She looked like she played an instrument; piano or the violin, maybe even just her voice. Karina herself played many instruments: piano, violin, guitar, saxophone - ukulele even. She enjoyed playing around with midi pads and synthesizers as well, musical effects had always fascinated her. Not even just instruments and effects - Karina sang as well. It was probably her favorite instrument to play, however, she never had faith in herself when she sang. Not many people were aware of her singing, despite how beautiful it truly was. Whenever she sang it felt like something was missing, like she wasn’t complete. An unbearably deep hollow would consume her chest. Then again, the empty feeling was consistent. Just extremely obvious whenever she sang. Somehow, though, the feeling had partially stopped for a moment.

 

“Hello? Earth to Karina?” Nari called out, pulling Karina back to reality. Karina shook her head, smiling back at Nari’s confused expression.

“Sorry, sorry, I got a little.. distracted,” Karina fumbled with her words, twisting her hands behind her back. “And to answer your question, yes, I’m a music major,” she smiled awkwardly, hoping to clear up the brief moment she’d zoned out.

“Good, for a moment I thought I’d have to talk to the University to switch your classes,” Nari joked, giggling a little at Karina’s shocked expression. “And I didn’t want to be alone in class,” she finished rather quietly, looking down at her feet shyly. Karina couldn’t understand why Nari of all people - a total stranger - was looking to Karina - who was also a total stranger - for companionship. On top of that, Nari was obviously extremely sociable. It didn’t seem right for her to ever feel alone being the vivacious character she was.

“You? Alone?” Karina stuttered in obvious shock. It didn’t make any sense. She’d barely just met the girl, and yet the girl was relieved she’d be in class with a total stranger. Either Nari was friendly to the point she had no boundaries, or Karina had actually been living under a rock, unaware of social evolution. Possibly even both.

“Hey, I know I seem really social,” Nari began explaining, eyes meeting Karina’s again, “and I get along well with people, but it’s difficult to make friends.” Karina couldn’t believe for a second what the girl was saying. Was this girl serious?

“Then what’s happening right now?” Karina blurted out, immediately regretting her question. Nari had simply complemented Karina’s singing; she didn’t mean to form a friendship with her. Of course she didn’t want to be friends. Who would?

“Well, I saw you taking pictures while I was in the cafe. I thought I’d come say hi, since I’ve never seen you in town before,” Nari smiled innocently, rocking back on her heels. “And I was going to ask if you wanted to be friends.” Suddenly, it seemed Nari found the concrete more interesting in comparison to the world around her.

“I’ve lived in the city for a few months now,” Karina started, for once in her life trying not to feel the regret seeping through her mind, “but I take anything and everything as an excuse to cloister myself in my apartment. Sure, I go to classes but that’s just about it.” Karina continued to ramble off about her social life and how she only did the bare minimum when it came to outdoor activities. As they spoke, Nari whirred Karina off to a cafe she had claimed to be the best in the entire city.

“Just so you know, Nari” Karina began warningly, “coffee has never been and never will be my best friend.” Nari laughed softly at Karina’s terrified expression as they entered the cafe. The cafe was the best in the city - maybe even the world. With coffee, treats, and other beverages for every personality. Nari knew for a fact Karina would love the place for the brief few minutes she got to know her in the street.

“Of course not! Have you forgotten already or have you not realized? I’m your best friend now! This coffee can be a close second,” the girl smiled teasingly, leading the still slightly terrified Karina into the cafe. She had the smallest skip in her step, happily striding to the front to order. As soon as Nari and her shimmering smile reached the barista, she was greeted with a large mug of strawberry mocha latte topped with a twirl of whipped cream and a strawberry syrup drizzle. Next to the cozy mug was a small opal-white plate with a scoop of fried ice cream. Of course, a drizzle of strawberry syrup coated the fried sweetness. It seemed even the baristas of coffee shops adored Nari. Karina couldn’t blame them even if she tried.

“So much strawberry,” Karina muttered, staring with wide eyes at Nari’s obvious usual that was practically oozing with strawberry. Nari simply giggled, ordering Karina a caramel macchiato. The smiling girl handed Karina her latte before yanking her to an empty booth by the window. Cradling the sweet drink in her hands, Karina settled into the soft, fluffy white seat in the booth. The brunette slid into the seat opposite the young girl, her lips curled up in a bright smile.

“Strawberry is good, so no judging!” Nari stuck out her pointer finger, eyes sparkling in the light from the window. But that also could’ve just been her eyes. After all, she was stunning in every way possible so far to Karina. Karina marveled at the very existence of the girl before her.

“I’m not judging! I’m just saying; if I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought your being was entirely strawberry,” Karina smiled goofily at Nari, who was taking pictures with her phone of her rather aesthetic dish. Without thinking, the young girl took out her camera, the viewfinder focusing around Nari’s golden smile. She snapped a picture just as the girl looked up, oblivious to Karina’s actions. Just as fast as she pulled up the camera she hid it away, as if it was never there to begin with.

Nari smiled back at the girl, unaware of the picture she’d taken. It was a strange feeling Karina felt in that moment. She never knew she was craving it until that very minute. And she wanted to know what it was with all her being, but she just couldn’t. The feeling was indecipherable. She shook her head slightly with a small smile on her face, hoping to mask her clear confusion. The girl lifted her latte to her lips just as the cheery girl opposite her had, the aroma and heat engulfing her being. Her smile grew brighter at the pleasant warmth it bestowed upon her face. Mindlessly she took a sip. And did her world change.

 

Karina was usually fine with the hot tinge of any beverage - it barely fazed her. But for whatever reason, the sip burned her entire mouth. The smell became overwhelming and the heat seeped through the mug into her hands, leaving them disguisedly wounded. Unforgivingly, she swallowed the sweet yet dangerous sip, letting the literal fire take over her insides.

Nari didn’t seem to notice Karina’s rather unfortunate dilemma, which Karina herself was thankful for. The girl seemed too busy trying to cool down her drink that, too, seemed a bit hot. A frazzled expression plastered to her face, Nari looked up with a hesitant smile. With a look at the watch that wasn’t on her wrist, the rather flustered brunette waved herself off and made a mad dash for the door. Karina sighed in regretful relief. There was no way she could talk to Nari again. Not after the awkward wall that planted itself in between them. But there was no denying the gaping, discomforting hole that had settled in Karina’s chest the moment Nari walked away.


	2. What Is This Feeling?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm too lazy for this :P - Golden Sunshine Bunny

“Stop. Stop. Stop. Forget her!” she screamed at herself, frustratedly running her hands through her soft hair. Her voice rang through her ears as it echoed through her room -- she was definitely getting complaints later in the day.

It’d only been two days since Karina’s run-in with Nari. A sweet, polite, vivacious girl who adored strawberry and cute things more than anything in this world. The girl didn’t quite do anything wrong -- Karina just couldn’t stand to face her. That feeling - not necessarily a bad one - left Karina in a strange state. Not to mention the annoying sudden enhancement in her senses. Never had she ever seen the morning light so bright, nor had she ever tasted a hot chocolate so hot it melted her hands through the ceramic mug.

Karina let out a disgruntled grunt, sprawling herself across the bed. She’d ran in to Nari a few times during their shared major - music. However, both days their professor was in Karina’s favor, claiming the days were entirely independent. Karina didn’t hate Nari - no, not in the slightest bit. She just couldn’t understand what was happening. She couldn’t tell if she liked or hated the sparks that danced under her skin whenever they touched. There was a moment during their music class their hands touched - most definitely not a good moment for either of them. Karina fell back into the storage room (possibly damaging a few instruments) and Nari slipped on a pile of sheet music into a pedestal music stand. Their professor wasn’t too happy with either of them.

Her phone began ringing, and with yet another annoyed grunt, Karina rolled over to pick it up. The usual soft buzzing of the phone had become a monstrous growl echoing in Karina’s head after the strange enhancement in her senses. Another thing she just couldn’t understand for the life of her.

“Hello?” she mumbled in monotone into the phone, trying her best to mask her yawn. The girl’s Tuesday had been unusually busy, filled with classes, errands, and irritation from the uncontrollable sounds and smells throughout the day. It was a miracle she could even manage to keep her eyes open at seven after having been awake for fifteen bustling hours.

“Hey, Karina!” an all too familiar voice chirped cheerfully on the other line. Of course, it just had to be Nari. And as if Karina was bipolar, her grumpiness was enlightened by the smile playing at her lips.

“Hi, Nari,” Karina greeted in a soft voice, finally finding it in herself to sit up straight in bed. The girl on the opposite line - there was something about her. Something Karina just couldn’t quite put her finger on. But something she absolutely adored.

“These past two days have been really busy,” Nari began with a tone that was just unacceptable for Nari. Nari should only ever be smiling and happy. At least that’s how Karina felt. “So I was wondering if you wanted to go grab something at the cafe,” she finished her sentence off, residing in her usual sweet, happy tone. Karina glanced at the clock for a minute.

“Uhm.. Nari, it’s seven,” Karina stated a little disappointedly. While she was the one to bring up the time and how the cafe of all places was most likely closed, she felt the sudden urge to want to meet up with Nari again. A lot of things had become unusually sudden for Karina.

“That I’m aware of, idiot. The cafe doesn’t close until really late, we can still meet up. Unless you don’t want to. I know these past couple days have been really busy for you, too, so I understand if you’re tired--”

“Oh my God, Nari, you need to shut up. I’ll meet you there in ten,” Karina cut her off bluntly as she ended the call. But there was no way she missed the small, happy squeal Nari let out before she hung up. Without giving it a second thought, Karina forced herself off the bed and to her wardrobe. Pulling a soft, tan oversized sweater over her head and deciding a pair of black knee-rip jeans was decent enough, the girl wore her favorite pair of Timberlands and headed out towards the cafe.

“Only a few minutes until Nari and I meet again,” Karina mused, striding through the streets of the city. A light pink blush crept over her cheeks through the brisk autumn weather, her ebony locks bouncing gracefully behind her. The feeling was unusual. Karina normally felt like hiding away in the shadows and walking unnoticed, whereas in that moment she felt like skipping straight through the streets. And in what seemed to be five minutes but was actually ten, Karina was outside the rather big, cozy cafe.

“Karina! You’re here!” her ecstatic, sweet voice chirped. Karina didn’t have a moment to think before Nari enveloped her in a hug so tight it felt as though her bones were going to snap. The poor girl tapped Nari’s arm gently, demanding to be released even the slightest bit.

“Can’t.. Breathe,” Karina wheezed out, unable to feel her limbs. And in immediate response, Nari released her. The girl looked apologetic and guilty, but nonetheless smiled.

“I’m so sorry, Rina, I just-”

“Rina?” Karina questioned as she felt her lungs fill with air. Nari’s face turned from it’s soft perfection to a bright, tomato red, her hair falling in front of her eyes.

“S-Sorry, I have a tendency to give people nicknames,” she stuttered, suddenly finding her feet quite fascinating. Karina struggled to muffle a laugh, soon failing and bursting out with laughter.

“First of all, nicknames are fine, I’ve just never been given a nickname before. Second of all.. You look so adorably funny when you’re flustered, I can’t take you seriously!” Karina managed to say in between tender laughs. Another strange thing. Karina rarely laughed, not since she was little. And she couldn’t have been happier to finally be genuinely laughing again on her own will.

“Mmm, shut up already! Let’s just go inside,” Nari pouted, still flustered while yanking Karina who’d barely recovered from her laughing fit into the cafe. And before she knew it, she was face to face with a table of five other people. Almost immediately, her smile turned from genuine to awkward. Nari glanced at Karina for a brief moment, recognizing her friend’s stiff state.

“Uhm.. Friends! This is Karina; Karina, these are my close friends!” Nari hesitated while repeatedly glancing between her confused friends and awkward Karina. She shook her head before taking a seat beside her friends, pulling Karina along.

“Hi, Karina! I’m Yuki, but these guys call me Aki,” a cheerful voice chirped ecstatically from beside Nari. The girl had straight, short hair, just barely brushing upon her shoulders. It was a cute, brightly dyed red that reminded the girl of golden sunshine and warm autumns. Her bangs curled around her face in the softest way, shaping her face rather perfectly. She had the sweetest amber eyes, oozing with love and hope for the world and those around her. It was obvious why Nari was friends with her; who wouldn’t love to be friends with someone as friendly and vivacious as her?

“Hi, Yuki,” Karina greeted, trying to give Yuki the genuine smile she deserved. Yuki gave her a look, as if she was questioning her.

“Yuki..? We’re friends, no? Call me Aki!” Yuki smiled, gently patting Karina’s hand across the table. At that, Karina couldn’t help but smile brightly.

“Okay, Aki,” Karina smiled at the mention of having more than just one friend. And a friend that didn’t make her emotions explode every minute they touched.

Aki gave her a cheerful smile before taking a sip of her jasmine green tea, though her smile never really faded. As soon as the red haired girl released the straw, however, the drink was snatched from her grasp.

“Miru,” Aki whined at the girl who’d taken her drink. She had balayage pastel blue hair that cascaded down to her elbows. Her skin was pale and the bored, tired look on her face seemed to be her casual expression. The girl’s lips were a rosy pink that complimented her skin tone perfectly. She looked a bit shorter than both Nari and Aki, a noticeable gap between the heights of the three girls. Her eyes were a dark brown like dark chocolate, just barely lighter than the fluffy black jacket she was enveloped in. A small smirk made its way onto her face as she took a big sip of the jasmine tea.  
“Nevermind, Miru. I never liked tea all that much, anyway,” Aki sighed before her golden smile returned once more. Miru’s tired expression disappeared as a tender smile broke through. The sight of her smile warmed Karina’s heart, to the point where it was as good as melted at its place.

“Uhm.. Hi, Miru,” Karina hesitated, unsure if the name “Miru” was available to her, as well. And in immediate response, the balayage haired girl’s eyes shot up to meet hers. Karina felt her insides twist through her nervousness, beads of sweat forming along her neck and forehead. Her hands grew uncontrollably clammy and she felt the sudden need to run away. As if she could read her mind, Nari placed a gentle hand around her wrist. Nari’s touch sent uncontrollable sparks that surged throughout the girl’s body. She wanted to pull away, yet part of her wanted Nari’s touch to stay forever.

“Haha, cute nickname, right?” a slightly deeper voice laughed awkwardly from beside an either uncomfortable or shocked Miru; Karina couldn’t tell. “Her real name is Miri, we just call her Miru. But, uhm, moving on.. I’m Shawn,” he finished a bit quieter than he started. Karina offered an awkward smile towards Shawn. His height.. questionable for a guy in college. Though it wasn’t that obvious while sitting, he was clearly around the same height as Miri. However, shorter than everyone else. The young man had brown eyes that sparkled as they caught the light from the ceiling lamp. His hair was blonde and wavy, darker at his roots. It wasn’t all that obvious, but he’d definitely dyed his hair.

“Or Shim Shim,” a sweet voice giggled from across Nari. Karina turned her head just a bit to see a guy with the broadest shoulders and the most beautiful face. Handsome was an understatement when describing him. A defined jawline and a visible Adam’s Apple. He had large, soft hazel eyes filled with love. His pin straight hair was a cool, coal black parted through the side. A dazzling smile rested upon his plump, pink lips. “Hana Kazumi, nice to meet you,” the man introduced himself, reaching across the table to shake Karina’s hand. He reminded her of the son of a CEO for some reason. The girl accepted his hand with an amused smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“Nice to meet you, Shim Shim and Hana,” Karina giggled at the expression Shim Shim was making. It was obvious he didn’t like it when Hana of all people called him Shim Shim. But it soon faded as he couldn’t resist his friend’s sweet smile. Next to Hana, a pink-haired man cleared his throat.

“Hello, Karina, I’m Toshio Suku,” the man said. He was definitely tall; close to Hana’s height. His dusty pink hair was disheveled, but disheveled in a nice way, somehow. He had a firm face shape, but his dark brown eyes with flecks of gold were soft. His smile was breathtaking; warm and welcoming. Unwillingly, Karina was reminded of the father and daughter she’d taken pictures of the other day before her run-in with Nari. A nostalgic smile spread across her lips as she remembered her own father years before he’d left Karina and her mom. As memories of him leaving flooded her mind, drowned out the world around her, her smile fell and shattered across the cold tile floor. And as if the shattering of her smile was audible, everyone at the table had their eyes on her. None of which Karina realized, though.

“Karina, dear, are you okay?” Hana’s voice rang through her ears, bringing her back to reality. The girl shook her head before returning back to the real world, pushing back the tears that had threatened to spill.

Karina looked around the table for a brief moment; they all seemed concerned for her, their new friend. Even Aki’s smile was replaced with a confused frown. 

God, I always mess up. This is why I’ve never had friends. This is why he left. I was so, so stupid to even believe people could call me their friend -- that anyone could befriend me, Karina thought to herself, the tears threatening to spill once more. She dug her nails into the palms of her hands, shaking a bit as her body became tense. She felt Nari’s soft, gentle hand rest on her wrist again. Unlike last time, she brushed it away, ignoring all the sparks that danced underneath her skin.

“Karina,” Nari started in a deep tone that made heads turn. Karina herself looked up for a moment, only to look back down again. She expected Nari to continue speaking, maybe even start yelling. But Karina ended up a bit surprised when she didn’t say a single word more.

“Uhm.. I’m fine, yeah, I just got distracted,” Karina reassured the group as she forced the tears back, looking up with an unexpected smile. They seemed unconvinced. “Anyway, hi, Toshi.”

A moment of silence passed over the group, which seemed quite unnatural to Karina. But the silence didn’t last long, seeing as the entire group erupted into laughter. Even Miri was laughing, and to the looks of it, Karina didn’t think they would stop any time soon. However, she didn’t complain; she had a feeling she’d be seeing them quite often. And she knew for a fact that there were going to be ups and downs, so cherishing the times where they’re laughing was important to her. Even if she was being beyond extra, she couldn’t care less. She’d never had real friends before, and if these people were willing, then who was she to push them away?

“To..shi? What happened to the ‘o’ at the end,” Nari wheezed, slapping the table as she continued laughing uncontrollably. And with that, a wave of realization crashed over Karina. She’d called Toshio “Toshi,” instead of his real name.

“..I called him Toshi, didn’t I,” Karina mumbled, her face beaming a bright pink. This statement only made the group’s laughter increase, and Karina couldn’t help herself as she began laughing as well. She was laughing at herself, but for once, it was in a good way. Well, somewhat good, anyway.

“Aish, seven idiots.. for the love of God, will you shut up?” a stiff voice shouted from somewhere near the counter. The group had barely recovered from their eruption of laughter before looking over to one of the workers. Her light brown, layered hair was up in a high ponytail, bangs framing her face. She was annoyed, that much was clear to Karina. Right then, a thought occurred to the young girl: what if she was the owner? She looked back to the group with terrified eyes. The death glare the supposed owner of the cafe was giving them grew the persistent fear for life in Karina.

“Relax, silly, she’s not gonna kill us,” Shawn giggled, his laughter still well alive, “she’s my sister; also, she doesn’t own the cafe.” The frantic girl allowed a small sigh of relief to escape her lips, just a fraction of her panic uplifted.

“She’s not gonna kill you guys, but I will if we don’t get drinks now,” Miri grumbled from her place in between Shawn and Aki. The red-haired girl beside her rolled her eyes with a smile before climbing out of her seat.

“Okay, so everyone’s usual and.. Karina, what would you like?” Aki asked sweetly, arms crossed behind her back. The girl sat back for a moment, unsure of what to say. Usually Karina ordered for herself. Mostly because she never really went out to eat with friends or anything - how could she if she didn’t have any to start with?

“Uhm.. a caramel macchiato is fine,” Karina answered hesitantly, still a bit surprised. Aki nodded kindly before turning to Hana, a mischievous smirk painted upon her lips.

“Princess,” she began, her voice replaced with a sickeningly coy tone, “you’d love to pay the bill tonight, right? In honor of our new friendship with Karina?” Hana looked at her with disbelief and disappointment in his eyes. However, it wasn’t the type that would entirely shatter oneself. It was more or so a playful, giving in type of look. One you would give to your best friend - like Aki and Hana obviously were. Well, technically they all were best friends.

“Fine, but you’re paying next time,” Hana muttered defeatedly at the use of his supposed nickname. He pouted as he rested his head in the palms of his hands, Aki skipping away towards the counter. Toshio draped an arm around him, resisting the urge to laugh.

“Moving on.. I guess I finally have a nickname,” Toshio smirked, causing Karina to blush a bright pink again. It was unmistakable that he was trying to switch subjects to make Hana feel better - though he truly wasn’t upset - but of all topics… 

“It was an accident, I swear! I’m sorry!” Karina apologized with a groan, followed by another long chain of apologies. Once more the group erupted in laughter, Aki returning and joining in as well. The night ended in many, many people beginning to hate their specific corner in the cafe, as well as Shawn’s sister. However, the night also ended in the beginning of new friendships. Friendships that Karina had a feeling would last a very, very long time.


End file.
